COVID-19: Shehu Sani warns of mass revolt over lockdown

Former lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani has asked the President, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to announce palliative measures that would cushion the effects of the current lockdown for Nigerians as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread.

In a tweet Sunday, Mr Sani said there may be civil disobedience and a total breakdown of law and order if people have nothing to eat at home as a result of the lockdown.

The Senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate stated insisted that it would be difficult to expect total obedience from hungry Nigerians if nothing was done to support them in these perilous times.

He wrote:

“To the Federal and state governments, provide palliatives, reliefs and succour for the innocent poor you kept at home to avert defiance against all directives.

“(There could be) open disobedience against the establishment and ultimate revolt against the system when the stock of food and water in the homes of the people are exhausted.

“There will be nothing else left to fear and no law or directives left to be obeyed.”

There have been calls for a total lockdown of the country as a means of curbing the coronavirus pandemic.

But many have warned of the attendant consequences, including widespread hunger, which may be worse than the pandemic it was intended to cure.